You know that feeling when a hobby grabs you by the collar and won’t let go? That’s exactly what occurs when you use alcohol inks by The Tingology. The hues bloom and spin. You watch in astonishment as your page comes to life. Each drop is like a little test. You can be a crazy scientist at times. A daydreamer at times. There is no right or wrong; the ink tells half the tale, and you are merely along for the wild, trippy adventure.

People join up for this lesson because they think they’ll be able to make some nice pictures. They quickly start organizing excursions to the store based on which isopropyl alcohol to buy. You start to carry around small pieces of Yupo paper “just in case.” You start texting your buddies right away because you want to share your new piece. “Hey guys, look at this! It seems like the Milky Way and a jellyfish got married. They grin pleasantly, but you know you’ve gone too far now.

Have you ever noticed how gold ink moves? When you tilt the paper, it catches the light and winks at you like it knows something you don’t. Some people are really into circles, while others are really into waves. There are little galaxies hiding in every nook and cranny. There is both chaos and order, and you can never be sure which one is in charge.

Everyone is quiet at the start of class. Five minutes later, laughing breaks out as colors spread over hands and, sometimes, faces. Quick tip: Don’t wear something you even sort of enjoy. You can’t avoid getting ink on your fingertips, so deal with it afterward. It’s better than therapy, and it’s cheaper and doesn’t require as much talking.

The joy isn’t the only thing that surprises. Something about the process brings forth creativity you didn’t realize you have. Someone says, “I can’t draw a straight line!” Who gives a damn? The ink can’t either. Freedom! All of a sudden, you let yourself make mistakes and have problems. Some look like tragedies in space, while others look like works of art that happened by chance. Both should go in the scrapbook.

A few veterans show up with color charts and swatch samples in hand. Beginners are wide-eyed and think they have enough paper towels. No one feels like a beginner after fifteen minutes. Everyone has rings, splatters, and trippy nightmares all on their hands. It gets quiet… you’re all “chasing blooms,” which means you’re getting utterly lost in the process.

And just when you think you know how to do it, you find out about a new way. Use a straw to smear items, add a little salt, and then blow-dry them. The error you made yesterday becomes the base layer for tomorrow. A lot of the time, people in this class have yelled “Whoops!” and “Wait, that’s amazing!” in the same sentence.

The clock doesn’t stop this class. Oh, no. You’ll have to go to thrift stores to find frames. Looking through Pinterest for crazy color combinations. Having an argument with yourself over how artistic it is to spill things on your kitchen counter. All of a sudden, you’re the person who wants to write on anything flat and close by.

This is your official warning: you will want to come back. There will be crazy ideas and color experiments in the group chat at midnight. Letting go, letting color, and allowing things become wonderfully out of hand is quite pleasant. Remember that once you start, the hard part is stopping.